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JaWuan James - Top 20 Overall NFL Tackle

Discussion in 'Miami Dolphins Forum' started by phinswolverinesrockets, Oct 2, 2014.

  1. phinswolverinesrockets

    phinswolverinesrockets If he dies, he dies

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    Welp, so far it looks like we finally got one right. I just finished reading an article by Barry Jackson stating that through the first quarter of the season, James is ranked by PFF as their #20 overall best offensive tackle. He's their 10th best run blocking tackle, plus he's only given up 1 sack through 4 games. That's a pretty damn impressive first time 1st round pick for Hickey. So far, it looks like he's nailed it. Also Gil Brandt, nfl.com's senior analyst, wrote a piece that lists James one of the players from the 2014 draft who has outperformed their draft position.

    Barry Jackson's article:
    http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/nfl/miami-dolphins/article2431814.html

    Gil Brandt's article:
    http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...14-nfl-draft-doover-blake-bortles-is-new-no-1

    It wasn't a sexy pick, but is there really any more doubt that it was the right pick? He's only going to get better.

    Why is our run game better? Maybe because we added two top 20 offensive tackles this offseason. Branden Albert is rated the #2 overall offensive tackle by PFF.

    Also, a lot of credit should go to our new o-line coaches. I had my doubts during the offseason, but they have worked wonders.
     
  2. Mcduffie81

    Mcduffie81 Wildcat Club Member

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    Can we finally say that the days of wasting major resources and getting no return are finally gone?
     
  3. phinswolverinesrockets

    phinswolverinesrockets If he dies, he dies

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    I sure as hell hope so. This is what first round picks are supposed to be...productivity from Day 1.
     
  4. Ohio Fanatic

    Ohio Fanatic Twuaddle or bust Club Member

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    I've said it before, you don't need 5 great lineman to have a great line, but if you have multiple weak links at 2-3 positions, then you have nothing at all. last year we had 4 weak links. If Pouncey can come back (and he's fully healthy) he's going to look better than he ever has IMO, because he isn't surrounded by complete turds anymore. ON the flip side, his contract demands will go up, but IMO that's a good problem to have.
     
  5. Disgustipate

    Disgustipate Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    I think James is a pretty good starter at this point, but I think there's really a quite good chance that he might be a dominant pass protector, and potentially our future LT.

    No, we can't. That's an unrealistic standard for any decision maker, and while Hickey looks like he's had a good year, Ireland had good years as well.
     
  6. ckparrothead

    ckparrothead Draft Forum Moderator Luxury Box

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    I would say more of a top 40 guy based on the production and metrics.

    It's a little unfortunate that PFF"s ratings as opposed to their analytics have grown to become widely accepted as canonical reference material.

    I wonder what the people who accept their ratings without question would think about the fact that they have Russell Wilson as the 28th best quarterback in football this year, behind such icons as Mike Glennon, Drew Stanton, Kirk Cousins and Austin Davis. Ya know, despite Wilson's 109 passer rating.

    And when I questioned them on it on twitter, their Steve Pallazola or whoever was very belligerant and arrogant about it. He insisted the rating is correct and that Russell Wilson is not having a good year. Ya know, despite the film that suggests otherwise.
     
  7. phinswolverinesrockets

    phinswolverinesrockets If he dies, he dies

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    Which 39 tackles would you rate above him and why?
     
  8. Finatik

    Finatik Season Ticket Holder Staff Member Club Member

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    And Jonathan Martin has given up 3 sacks for the 49er's in limited play time.
     
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  9. phinswolverinesrockets

    phinswolverinesrockets If he dies, he dies

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    What did the 49ers expect?
     
  10. phinswolverinesrockets

    phinswolverinesrockets If he dies, he dies

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    Yeah, the Russell Wilson thing is puzzling. I didn't know that. Very interesting though. I hear ya though, I would like an explanation.
     
  11. ckparrothead

    ckparrothead Draft Forum Moderator Luxury Box

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    You really intend for me to write up 39 players in response to your question?

    That would be a bit annoying, don't you think?
     
  12. CitizenSnips

    CitizenSnips hmm.

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    I really don't think they expected him to make the team. Then they didn't expect their starter to get hurt. I honestly believe a series of tragic events led to Martin getting on the field and it's good to see he just sucks.
     
  13. CaribPhin

    CaribPhin Guest

    Absolutely anyone can rate for PFF. I was curious about their graders so I went into the first step of their hiring process. Basically, they give you the film, no training, and say grade away. They allegedly review your grades but based on the sheer volume of players and the speed at which grades are released, it can't be thorough.
     
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  14. phinswolverinesrockets

    phinswolverinesrockets If he dies, he dies

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    Nah, just name them and tell me why, as a whole, they are better than a guy who has given up 1 sack and is a big reason for turning one of the worst rushing offenses in the NFL last year to a top 10 rushing team this year. Just curious. I find you to be one the most unbiased guys on here (as am I), and I am really curious. You may have a very good argument.
     
  15. Alex13

    Alex13 Tua Time !!! Club Member

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    "there is a looooot of room for improvement" thats basically the line philbin uses on every player after giving endorsements, kind of annoying by now
     
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  16. CitizenSnips

    CitizenSnips hmm.

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    Well you seriously just couldn't wait to dismiss the idea that James is looking like one of the top RTs in the league already.

    Seriously, our boy has looked good. Against Mario Williams, chandler jones, tamba Hali, and Khalil Mack/justin tuck no less.
     
  17. phinswolverinesrockets

    phinswolverinesrockets If he dies, he dies

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    I've been saying for 3 years, he is the weak link on this team. When I talk Dolphins, I don't even mention him. Sad, but true.
     
  18. ckparrothead

    ckparrothead Draft Forum Moderator Luxury Box

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    There are 59 tackles that have taken at least 100 pass pro snaps. Of them, Ja'Wuan James ranks #39 in pass pro efficiency (pressures allowed per snap).

    Now obviously that doesn't account for run blocking. But therein lies the conundrum. There isn't an objective metric for it. And this year more than any other I have come to really question the PFF subjective ratings. It's not just the very STRANGE results that you see that don't seem to match the film, it's also the very WIDE swings in their ratings from week to week once their review staff begin re-grading players that were already graded. You see guys going from like a +3 during a game to like a 0.4 or something like that. That's a wide swing for a single game and it suggests that there's a LOT more error in their subjective grading than they'd like you to think.

    That said if you wanted to do sort of a 50/50 based on the objective pass pro analytics (accounting for penalties) and the subjective PFF run block rating, then Ja'Wuan James would be more like Top 30 than Top 40.
     
  19. Disgustipate

    Disgustipate Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    They appear to be reviewing grades because they revise them during the week. In years past it would be like Wednesday when all the Sunday games would be finished, now they're always there on Monday and then by Tuesday/Wednesday they've changed.
     
  20. ckparrothead

    ckparrothead Draft Forum Moderator Luxury Box

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    That...is disturbing.
     
  21. Mcduffie81

    Mcduffie81 Wildcat Club Member

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    For now, I think we can say that the abundance of using valuable resources (other than re-signing Pouncey) are coming to an end and the waste looks very minimal. That is, at least going into next off seasons draft/FA...
     
  22. ckparrothead

    ckparrothead Draft Forum Moderator Luxury Box

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    And the changes are sometimes pretty wide swings.

    Here's the thing...unless those reviewers are literally re-grading every single player and every single snap, then a very large amount of the work is being done by people who were as untrained as CaribPhin.
     
  23. phinswolverinesrockets

    phinswolverinesrockets If he dies, he dies

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    Very interesting. Thanks for the explanation.
     
  24. phinswolverinesrockets

    phinswolverinesrockets If he dies, he dies

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    wow
     
  25. Tin Indian

    Tin Indian Rockin' The Bottom End Club Member

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    Regardless of where we feel the need to rank James, the fact is the play from the right tackle position has been much improved over last year. He has done a solid, if not great, job manning that spot for us this year. Funny thing is I thought every one said that he was weak in Run blocking after he was drafted. Doesn't look like it.

    As far as Jonathan Martin and the Niners. He is what we thought he was. 3 sacks already. I wonder how many pressures?
     
  26. ckparrothead

    ckparrothead Draft Forum Moderator Luxury Box

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    Amongst guys that have at least 50 total snaps this season I have Ja'Wuan James ranked from a half-analytics (pass pro), half subjective ratings (run blocking) standpoint as the 34th best out of 73.

    But you guys may love to hear that Branden Albert currently ranks #1. :)

    And Jonathan Martin ranks 58th of 73...but what did you really expect? LOL.
     
  27. ckparrothead

    ckparrothead Draft Forum Moderator Luxury Box

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    The real story isn't Ja'Wuan James over Tyson Clabo, IMO.

    It's Branden Albert, who has played left tackle about as well as I've seen over a four game stretch.
     
  28. phinswolverinesrockets

    phinswolverinesrockets If he dies, he dies

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    PFF has Albert ranked #2. So, you guys are pretty much in agreement that we snagged the best offensive tackle in the game this offseason. A lot of people thought we should go with Eugene Monroe, who has been below average this year. Hickey made the right call.
     
  29. ckparrothead

    ckparrothead Draft Forum Moderator Luxury Box

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    Through four games.

    Was a five year deal. We've gotten through 5% of the contract and he was worth every penny during that span.
     
  30. phinswolverinesrockets

    phinswolverinesrockets If he dies, he dies

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    Yep. And, his leadership over the offensive line is very visible. He's been very vocal, which has been much needed. I like what he's been doing.
     
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  31. ckparrothead

    ckparrothead Draft Forum Moderator Luxury Box

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    By the way I wouldn't hesitate to give Joe Philbin his due on Branden Albert.

    When Dennis Hickey was hired the very first thing Philbin and he did with one another as a new couple so to speak was sit down and watch film of Branden Albert. And Hickey was hired in large part because of the promise that he would get along and come to agreement with Philbin on things like this. It was basically Joe Philbin handing Dennis Hickey some film and saying, "First item on the docket, I want you to see the same thing I see on Branden Albert and I'd like you to make this happen."

    And no that's not all speculation. It was literally the first thing they did together after Hickey was hired. Joe Philbin was a bit obsessive on the point of Branden Albert because he had wanted him the year before and Jeff Ireland balked at Kansas City's asking price in part because he wanted to see Jonathan Martin continue to be given a chance, then Martin became a core issue over which Philbin and Ireland fought.
     
  32. Stringer Bell

    Stringer Bell Post Hard, Post Often Club Member

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    No first round picks aren't supposed to do that. James is exceeding the expectations of a first rounder.

    Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk
     
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  33. Da 'Fins

    Da 'Fins Season Ticket Holder Staff Member Club Member

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    LOL. That Wilson ranking is absurd. I've never been a big fan of PFF but this above is just awful on their part.
     
  34. Bumrush

    Bumrush Stable Genius Club Member

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    How does he compare to Eugene Monroe? I remember the debate during the offseason..
     
  35. Eop05

    Eop05 Junior Member Club Member

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    I have to give credit where it's due. Ja'Wuan James has been better than advertised.

    Through his first 4 games he's playing at levels that Joe Thomas, Jake Long, and Ryan Clady played at as rookies.

    Guys like Lane Johnson, Joe Staley, Anthony Davis, and Erick Fisher struggled in the first half of their rookie year. Luke Joeckel is struggling in his 2nd year. He's outplaying Greg Robinson, Taylor Lewan, Jake Matthews, and Zack Martin who were all drafted ahead of him (2 of which are playing Guard).

    To be this solid this early in your career is impressive, especially when you aren't a top 5/10 pick. I couldn't be happier
     
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  36. Eop05

    Eop05 Junior Member Club Member

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    This.

    It is not common at all for a 1st round pick to play as well as James has played. And James being selected 20th makes it all the more impressive
     
  37. ElNino

    ElNino Well-Known Member

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    The way I read Brandt's comments, he basically said James always was a 1st round talent, and those who said the phins reached were just plain wrong from the get-go. Whether that's just hindsight on his part I don't know.

    Glad to see he is doing well. With Landry starting to come on in a stocked WR group, the first couple picks are looking really good.
     
  38. vt_dolfan

    vt_dolfan Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    Or you could just forget about the PFF Rankings and focus on Gil Brandts article that James has outperformed his draft position, which works very well for me.
     
  39. Fin D

    Fin D Sigh

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    Or we can say to hell with PFF and Brandt, and just look at the results so far....one sack from him and VASTLY improved running game.
     
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  40. Tin Indian

    Tin Indian Rockin' The Bottom End Club Member

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    Yep. All I know is the Right Tackle spot isn't a turnstile this year.
     
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